


Happy Birthday, David

by theroomstops



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 06:24:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17761499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theroomstops/pseuds/theroomstops
Summary: It's David's birthday. He doesn't really like his birthday, although this year, there are a few surprises in store that might change his mind.





	Happy Birthday, David

A quarter to midnight on a Wednesday night, much later than he’d usually stroll down the dark, quiet halls of The Blackwood Hotel. David Budd was used to long days working at the Home Office - working with Julia - but this was something else. Julia Montague was busy at a conference with the rest of the serving ministers. Three days away, the longest they’d spent apart since they’d started whatever it was they’d started. He was sure someone had mentioned what the conference was about at one point, but his mind was more than a little clogged these days. Filled with questions, threats, accusations, lies and _her_.

His card buzzed in the door, and he balanced the pizza boxes and a six pack of beer in his other hand as he opened it. The room was dark, the same as he’d left it 18 hours ago. Usually he came back to these accommodations feeling uplifted, with a mix of excitement and desire luring as she trailed closely behind him. He made his way in the dark, to the little desk that he knew was to his right. Left the pizza boxes on the edge of it, followed by the beer and slammed his door shut with his foot. A feeling rushed over him in dark. Nope, it was still just Wednesday. He might not remember what the conference was about, but he’d specifically made a note that she would be returning Thursday. His birthday.

He tried to shake the feeling of her presence away while taking his gun out of the holster, checking it and placing it gently on the little table by the window, the same way he did every night. Routine. But it was like he could smell her. They’d always stayed in her room, his room shouldn’t smell of her perfume. His heart tightened, he closed his eyes and slowly turned towards the bed. The lamp by the bedside switched on and there she was. The Home Secretary. Julia Montague. His boss. This woman who wore so many hats in his life, but mainly all he could think about was the fact that she was currently sitting in his bed wearing what he could only assume was very expensive lingerie. As far as his brain would function at present, he knew she was currently supposed be somewhere else discussing important things with more important people than him. 

Julia let her left hand rest against the mattress again as the light revealed her presence to him, running the other with a trace of fake coquettishness over her right leg. She knew exactly what she was doing, and she liked seeing the mix of pleasant reactions on his face.

“Surprised to see me?”

“Aye.” His voice was strained, it came out as a squeak more than a word.

“A few days ago, I overheard Kim talking about doing something for your birthday. I didn’t think I’d be here, so I didn’t mention it. I wasn’t sure if that’s what this was.” She chewed on her lip, not helping at all with the physical reaction David was trying to keep at bay. Julia noticed the look of unease on his face and noticed the front of his trousers straining, smiling cheekily as she relaxed a little more on the bed. “And I thought you might enjoy the surprise. We finished meetings earlier than expected and I asked Tom to make the necessary changes for me to go home tonight. How did it go today?”

“I’m having a little trouble thinking about anything other than this right now.” He licked his lips. He really was trying to think of something else. Something other than the see-through burgundy lace she was currently stroking. Anything to calm the reaction his body was having to her little surprise.

“I’ll take that as your approval, shall I?” She smirked. She pulled herself down and rested on her elbows. She watched as his breath quickened, and his eyes scanned up and down her body. She would never get tired of the way he looked at her. She wasn’t used to men giving her their time without some sort of ulterior motive, nor was she used to anyone looking at her like _that_. “Do you intend to join me?”

“I want to take this in first. Not what I expected.”

“Clearly. Two pizzas and a six pack of beer doesn’t scream sexy, does it? Were they both for you or did I interrupt something? Birthday party planned?” Piercing eyes looked at him, begging for the right answer.

“Both for me. And I don’t celebrate my birthday, but... It was a weird day and I wasn’t looking forward to coming back to an empty room with nothing to look forward to.”

“You should rephrase that, or I might end up concocting some idea that you might have missed me.”

“Concoct away, ma’am.” The way he’d said it took her breath away. She tried to control her breathing, still wanting to follow her plan to the end.

“Oh I did miss that the last three days. Tom’s a good PPO but it’s not what I’ve gotten used to. I might have been spoiled in the last several months.” She slinkingly got off the bed and slowly made her way towards him. She could see his eyes following her as he licked his lips. Before she could make her final step, he surprised her by pulling her towards him. 

“Hi.”

“Hi.” He buried his face in her neck, softly kissing her skin. It made her shiver and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being reunited with him. “You smell nice.”

“Sure it’s not that pizza you’re coveting?” Her breath was becoming ragged, his lips still assaulting the skin on her neck. She pulled his tie loose and tossed it on the floor. His lips finally crashed on hers with force, and she almost lost her balance. She quickly unbuttoned all the buttons on his work shirt, throwing it on the chair beside her as he pulled his vest off and let it join the shirt. They had this routine down pat. She could feel his hands all over her. “You’re still a little overdressed for this party.”

“It’s a party is it?” He cocked his eyebrow and smiled.

“Oh, the best kind of party. A surprise party. Short guest list. Dress code specifies nothing at all.” She walked around him, one hand on his waist, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Take your trousers off.” She nibbled on his earlobe before coming to stand before him again. He glanced at her playfully before unzipping and pulling his trousers and pants down swiftly. He threw them in the direction she had thrown the shirt and put his hands on her hips.

“Now who’s overdressed?” He looked satisfied with himself and she let him enjoy it for a second, before she walked them forwards and pushed him onto the bed, placing herself between his legs. “Fuck, Julia.”

“I just presumed you’d want to unwrap your present yourself, but if I’m wrong...” She moved her hands to pull a strap down, but before she could reach he’d sat up and grabbed her wrist. She let her hand go limp and he let it fall to her side. He looked up at her with boyish excitement as his hands circled around her, quickly caressing her ass before coming to rest on her back. He unhooked the bra with ease and as it fell to the floor, he leaned in and left a trail of kisses everywhere he could reach. Savoring the moment. She tangled her hands in his hair and played with it as his lips seemed to try to cover every inch of her upper body, before he finally let his head rest against her. His hurried breaths warm and ticklish against her skin.

He could hear her heart pounding, and he took a few more seconds to enjoy the closeness. She placed a kiss on his forehead, and felt two fingers hooking into the sides of lace panties, pulling them down. “I love my present.” He looked up at her again, beaming, eyes sparkling with desire and mischief. He scooted back on the bed a little bit, and took her hand as she climbed onto it. It had been a thoroughly odd day, though nothing as surprising as the end of it. But as she sank down on him, wet and hot, he really didn’t care about the rest. His hands clutched her ass and he could feel her biting into his neck as she began to race them towards oblivion. He grabbed onto her hand and steadied them with his other one, already feeling himself losing control.

Julia really enjoyed the power of being on top. She loved the way he was just as good at letting go of control to her as he was at taking it. And she really had missed him. Getting herself off wasn’t anywhere near as fun as him getting her off, so the evenings away had been short and boring. Only good for catching up on lost sleep. He bit into the skin on her breast, gently rocking his hips to help get them to the edge. She couldn’t remember ever having spent more time trying to pick clothes that covered the marks on her body, than she had in these months with him. But she liked them. His mouth moved to her neck, teeth nipping as he thrust into her with wild abandon.

Julia watched as David’s eyes grew darker and began to glaze over the closer to the edge he got. She knew he got off on the sound of her voice in his ear, knew he liked hearing and watching her face when she came. She had no intention of leaving him disappointed and moved to really look at him. His eyes met hers and he bit down on her lip. Not enough to draw blood, just enough to egg her on. She panted his name in short breaths as she convulsed around him, and she felt both of his hands on her ass pulling her closer as he released himself into her with a grunt. He leaned against her shoulder as they waited for their breaths to slow down, and she ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed his sweat-beaded face.

“Still alive, birthday boy?”

“Barely.” David panted as he kissed the sore part of the skin on her neck. He murmured something into her skin that sounded suspiciously like ‘I did miss you’, but she ignored it as he fell backwards, bringing her with him. He rolled them over until he was almost wrapped around her, still buried deep inside her. He pulled the sheets over them as she listened to his heart slowly coming to a more stable beat. He spent minutes just kissing her face, enjoying memorizing every part of it until she moved her head back and smiled. 

“Not that I’m not enjoying every second of this, but I’m starving. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes. Forgot one hunger while satisfying another.” He said as he kissed her lips, and she chuckled softly. He pulled out of her, somewhat to her disappointment, and sat up. “I can’t offer anything but cold pizza and beer. The beer used to be cold.”

“Just stay right here and close your eyes, I’ll be right back.” She smirked to herself as she could feel his eyes following her when she made her way to the bathroom to clean up. She looked into the bathroom mirror after a quick attempt to fix her messy hair, feeling very satisfied with the marks he had left on her skin. She grabbed the pizza boxes from the desk and two bottles of beer before she jumped into his bed again.

“There’s some wine in your room. We could just grab a bot...”

“You know," She said, interrupting him. "I did go to law school for five years, I didn’t just magically graduate on a champagne buzz. I have had beer before, David. It’s not my personal preference, but it’s your birthday. Pizza and beer it is. In your room.” She leaned in to kiss him as she opened the first box. He flipped the bottle caps off and handed her a bottle, as he watched her intently.

“I’ve ever had naked pizza before. Certainly not with a naked woman in bed with me.” He looked on as she settled in under the sheet, her legs crossed Indian style under a pizza box, naked and skin still glowing from sweat. It might have been the best thing he’d ever seen. He didn’t know if she was just really hungry or faking it, but watching her chomp down a whole pizza was a sight he’d never forget.

“I take back what I said.” Julia said as she wiped grease off her lips. “Two pizzas and a six pack of beer _can_ be sexy in the right company. Make a wish, birthday boy.” She held up her bottle for a toast and his lips curled into a smile as bottles clinked together. He didn’t know what to wish for; his brain still felt foggy from when she’d suddenly appeared in his bed. But he felt pretty sure whatever he could think up on the spot couldn’t be better than what was right in front of him. And he knew that if he ever told anyone he’d once started his birthday naked with Home Secretary Julia Montague, eating cold pizza and drinking not-cold beer in bed, no one would believe him.

***********

David woke up with a jolt, his breath heaving. The same memories that always plagued him in the night. The tragic sounds of soldiers are they perished in the war, or noise from the bombs as they fell. _Just a dream_. His arm felt numb, and he knew the cause, the woman still asleep beside him. She usually slept deeply once she fell asleep, barely even moved in the night. She was still plagued and awakened by nightmares from time to time, but he knew the methods she’d learned from her therapist friend had helped. He rested against the pillow, enjoying the sound of soft, calm breaths in the room as she slept soundly. She didn’t rest enough, and he knew he was part of the reason she didn’t get enough sleep. He tried to feel bad, but she was so deeply permeated in his veins by now, he couldn’t. He needed her as much as he believed she needed him. He studied her face - the soft lines, her pink cheeks, the way her face sometimes jerked a little when she was deep in sleep. Her other hand still held onto his, as it had when she’d finally drifted off to sleep. It was clammy, but weirdly comfortable, and he just sighed. He closed his eyes again, the clock was not even 6AM yet. If he could, he’d get at least another few hours of sleep, since the Home Sec schedule said Julia had nowhere to be before noon after last night’s unplanned schedule change. A soft knock on the door broke his reverie and he immediately felt his heart rate speed up.

He went through all the people it could be at this ungodly hour, made a quick list of people, none of whom should be privy to the sight of this specific woman in his bed. The knocks continued, but still not loud enough to wake Julia and he quickly untangled his own body from hers. He pulled his boxers on and grabbed a t-shirt as he heard distant giggles from the other side of his door. He heard his daughters voice mumbled through the wooden door and quickly deduced that someone must have let them in to wish him a happy birthday. At any other time, he would have been grateful to see his kids’ overexcited faces, but he looked at a naked Julia in his bed and knew he’d have to keep them out. He opened his door just barely and sure enough, two very familiar, overexcited faces greeted him as they jumped in the air. He held his finger in front of mouth to shush them, prompting an odd look from both Vicky and Kim, standing behind them.

"Morning, Skip. Happy birthday and that." Kim stepped aside a bit to leave them to it.

“Morning, you two.” He whispered, hoping they’d be in on the game and forced his best daddy smile, hoping it would at least appear natural. 

“Happy birthday, daddy!” Ella whispered along, as Charlie squealed beside her. “Why are we whispering?”

“It’s really early, there are other guests in the hotel still sleeping.” It looked as if Ella believed him, and he stood up to address his former wife. “What are you doing here?”

“Kim felt bad that you were alone on your birthday, so she offered to sneak the kids in so they could wish you a happy birthday before school today. They said you’d be out all afternoon with the Home Secretary, I thought you’d like to see them if you could.”

“Of course. Why don’t we go have breakfast in the restaurant downstairs?” Charlie ran around in a circle and started softly cheering ‘pancakes, pancakes’. David smiled, for real this time. He really did want to spend time with his kids, he was just all too aware of the woman in the bed behind him. His heart felt caught in his chest, torn between the two worlds he currently lived in.

“They need to wash their hands before we eat, can we come in?” 

“There’s a restroom in the restaurant downstairs. Why don’t I meet you down there?” Vicky cocked her eyebrow. She knew him too well, and even David knew he was acting especially odd. He leaned towards Charlie and snuck a quick hug. Ella latched on to him and his pulse calmed a bit. “I’ll just get dressed and be right down. Get anything you want.”

Vicky looked at him, and he steeled himself for a fight as her eyes narrowed. Ella and Charlie looked from one parent to another as David tried to lighten the mood with a smile. Just when he thought he’d diffused the situation, Vicky pushed past him and stepped into the room. She stopped abruptly with a word caught in her throat. David knew exactly why she’d stopped, and in a panic, he asked Kim if he could take the little ones down to the restaurant so he could talk to his wife alone for a second. Kim had looked him a little odd, but better she think something was going on with Vicky, than be let in on what Vicky was looking at. He closed the door quickly, and turned to his estranged wife, who was still staring at the bed and the figure in it covered by white sheets. He pulled her by the arm as gently but quickly as he could, into the bathroom, and watched as she tried to find her words.

“You couldn’t have warned me before showing up at 6 in the morning, Vic?” He hissed, as quietly as he could.

“What surprise would it be if I’d told you?” A fair point. He rubbed his forehead as he tried to find the best way to handle the situation. “Why is the bloody Home Secretary naked in your bed, Dave?”

“We’re separated, Vic. I live my life, you live yours, we do the best we can for the kids. Those were your words, remember?” When she had uttered them, a year ago now, he’d only felt bitter, weak and more than anything, lost.

“I don’t care who you sleep with, but she’s your boss, Dave!” A little too loud for his liking and he tensed, but calmed a bit when he didn’t hear any noises from the room. He took several angry breaths as Vicky stared him down, seemingly waiting for an answer. Anything other than a clenched jaw and David’s cold eyes would probably be acceptable.

“David? Come back to bed, it’s still early.” Shit. Her voice was hoarse, fresh from sleep and he imagined she’d instinctively reached out in her sleep and found him gone. “David?” 

He almost hissed at Vicky, and he knew it wasn’t fair, as she was just looking at him in shock, not really saying anything at all. Then he took a breath, and told her softly to give him a minute. She gave him a look that said he was threading on thin ice, and to fuck off, but he took another deep breath and snuck back into the room, closing the door behind him.

“Julia...”

“Happy birthday.” She’d sat up against the headboard, holding a large gift box in her lap. She smiled warmly and looked endearingly unsure. His heart jumped at the gesture, he knew it wouldn’t have been easy for her to find a way to buy him a present. Usually the sight of her naked, sheet barely draped over her, hair all over the place and her swollen lips would have been irresistible to him, but instead he tried to force his brain to find the best way to tell her that his wife was somehow in the bathroom behind him. He stalked over to her side of the bed and sat down. She looked at him curiously.

“Kim thought she’d surprise me by bringing my family in for a birthday visit before school. I realize it’s against the rules, but she snuck them in this morning. All three of them. I tried to get them all downstairs, but...” His voice trailed off as he watched her face look more panicked by the second. He looked towards the bathroom, her eyes followed his and she grabbed his hand instinctively. 

“Kim took the kids down to the breakfast room, but Vicky’s in the bathroom. I panicked, so she knew something was wrong. I’m so sorry.” Julia nodded, barely taking a breath. She looked at the lingerie on the floor, not much modesty to find there. “I’ll take care of it. She won’t say anything to anyone.”

David quickly grabbed his dress shirt from the chair it has been thrown on the night before. Julia stepped out of bed in a haze and let him put it around her. She felt almost paralyzed. Her body moved but she had no control over it. And she just wanted to run and hide, a feeling quite unfamiliar because she often sought the conflict, didn’t shy away. But she couldn’t solve this moment with a passionate, well-crafted speech in the chambers or with fierce intelligence. The damage was already done. David could feel Julia shaking, and he forced himself to remain as calm as he possibly could. As he was buttoning the shirt for her, the bathroom door open and both of their heads turned towards the blonde now standing just a few feet away.

“We’ve never met. I’m Vicky. Dave’s...” Wife didn’t feel appropriate anymore. She didn’t really feel betrayed seeing him standing there with another woman. Confused, disappointed and maybe a little annoyed. Surprised at who it was, he really hadn’t given her a clue all these months he’d been working as PPO for the Home Sec. But not betrayed. “Ex.”

“I’m Julia—” Her voice sounded pitiful and weak as she walked past David to gather her underwear from the floor.

“Montague. Yeah. You’re all over the news these days, can’t miss seeing your face.” Vicky really hadn’t meant for that to come out in the harsh tone it did, and she chewed on her lip as she watched Julia and David both be taken aback.

“I’ll just be in my room. I don’t have meetings until noon, but would you like me to call someone to cover for you, David?” She looked up at him, and tried to ignore Vicky’s very presence. Maybe if she tried hard enough she’d magically find herself waking up from a nightmare of this very moment. She clutched the underwear in her hands as she tried to remember to breathe.

“No. I’ll just chat to Vic, say goodbye to the kids and I’ll be ready to work.” His eyes were warm and loving, and she almost felt worse for him than she did for her own predicament. Naked in front of Davids wife. Naked in front of a potential constituent. Not that she believed Vicky would have voted for her based on anything David had told her, but it was unnerving regardless.

“For what it’s worth, I’m glad Dave had someone here on his birthday. He’s never liked celebrating, so the kids and I always had to force him to do something. And he’s seemed happier lately. Lighter. I just didn’t know – about this. I’m sorry I barged in. I get really scared when he’s evasive, and he was being very evasive. Obviously. There’s a history of behavior, I just…” Vicky took a breath, words seemingly having burst out of her. She was still somewhat shocked and she could tell Julia had been equally uncomfortable ever since she’d stepped back into that room. 

Vicky looked over at her estranged husband, whose eyes seemed locked to the other woman. It felt strange, because she’d never experienced him even looking at another woman, let alone as intently as he was now. “Dave?” David turned to look at Vicky, eyes flicking back and forth. “Why don’t you tell me when you have the evening off and I’ll make sure the kids are free, yeah? They’d love to celebrate your birthday whenever you have the chance to.” He smiled, grateful for the offer, when he felt Julia’s hand on his arm.

“Please, go have breakfast with your family.” Julia said softly, gently touching his hand to make sure he knew she meant it. “I’m sure your children would be very happy to spend the morning with you. And it’s busy this week and next, so you should see them whenever you have the chance. I have to get ready for the day either way, and prepare for some meetings later. And if Kim gets in any trouble for letting them in, I’ll make it go away.” He smiled appreciatively and nodded. She smiled back at him before she turned to leave.

“Miss Montague?” Vicky stepped forward just a small step, and watched as Julia stopped, her hand on the handle of the dark wooden door she assumed led to the hotel room next door. 

“You’ve seen me half-naked at this point, Vicky, I think you can call me Julia. Please.” She felt unsure and hoped it didn’t come off as curtly as she had a tendency to be when she was nervous.

“You were the one who helped with Charlie’s school, weren’t you? Dave wouldn’t say who he thought it was, but he knew someone had ‘pulled strings’. It was you, wasn’t it?” Julia could hear the younger woman’s voice suddenly breaking, and she bit her lip to keep herself from speaking. “Thank you. He’s doing brilliant. It’s _really_ helped him. He’s a happy little boy, and he loves his new school.”

“I’m glad.” She smiled to herself and turned, her usual effortless power seemingly having disappeared when she needed it the most. Dealing with her lover’s ex wasn’t on the list of things Julia Montague had a lot of experience with. But David wasn’t just a lover, as she hoped the expensive gift box on the bed next to them made clear. He mattered, and so she wanted to leave this situation in good standing. “David speaks very highly of you. I wish it was under different circumstances, but it’s nice to put a face to the name. Thank you for not…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, and Vicky just nodded as she smiled slightly. Not what she would have expected from this. Her previous experiences with other women in situations similar to this strange triangle they seemed to find themselves in, were abysmal. This was almost pleasant. 

She opened the door to her room, smiling at David as she turned to close it and she heard him leaning on the other side as she threw the underwear towards the sofa and leaned against the door. Finally taking a deep breath. She heard the conversation continue without her on the other side, and couldn’t resist leaning in. Her pulse raced again, not sure if actively trying to overhear was some sort of breach of trust. She couldn’t move if she tried. She felt torn apart. As if someone had waltzed in and ripped open her life, leaving her with unidentifiable pieces to put back together. She stayed there, frozen against the cold wood as she tried to walk away, but couldn’t.

“Dave, this is... What if someone finds out about what you’re doing?” Julia heard David’s footsteps as he moved away from the door and Vicky’s voice, slightly more hardened than before she’d left the room.

“Well, you’re not gonna tell anyone are you? We have this under control, Vic. It’s not like you walked in on the first time it happened. No one knows, and it’s gonna stay that way.” She assumed he was getting dressed, because she could hear the familiar shuffling of clothes hangers from the closet and she heard Vicky switching places with him, moving closer to her door.

“Dave - are you in love with her?” Vicky’s voice seemed surprisingly light for a woman asking her husband if he was in love with someone that wasn’t her. Julia’s experience with the end of a marriage was a Shakespearian play compared to the children’s book this appeared to be.

“I…” The word hung in the air, and she couldn’t tell if he’d started whispering or just stopped speaking. “It’s complicated, Vic. You’re still my wife and I don’t particularly want to be having this conversation with you right now.”

“Complicated… Dave, if your boss finds out you’re sleeping with your protectee, they’re going to fire you. She might lose her job too.” Vicky was taken aback by the rage in her own voice as she fired back at her whatever-Dave-was-now.

“Just leave it alone, Vic. Julia and I, we’re fine. We’re discreet. Until you walked in, no one even had any fucking idea. I can handle this.” He’d managed to find some clean normal clothes, and attempted to locate his credit card, while trying to keep his bubbling temper under control.

“What if you can’t? What if something happens, Dave? What if you wake up in a panic and you do something that’s out of your control? How do you explain to everyone that the Home Secretary ended up with bruises, or cuts, or worse, alone in her hotel room, while you’re supposed to be protecting her from the next room?” David closed his eyes, his arms dropped to his sides and he couldn’t respond. Vicky would know exactly the feeling Julia had had those months ago when he’d woken up with his hands around her throat. Those kinds of episodes had been prevalent towards the end of their marriage. He stared at the floor, couldn’t even look at her, and Vicky felt pangs of guilt in her chest for bringing it up. “Something already did happen. Dave…”

“I’m in therapy. Julia has these connections; one of her friends is a really good therapist. She comes here to visit Julia, and I have regular sessions with her. They’re going really well, Vic. I’m doing better.” His voice sounded desperate, he needed to make Vicky believe him. Wanted her to believe this wasn’t a spiral, that he was genuinely doing better.

“I’m very happy for you. But this isn’t a fairytale, Dave. This isn’t you and the Home Secretary against the rest of the world. Some wild, romantic fantasy.” 

“What if it is? Julia’s the first person, the first woman I’ve felt a connection with since you. She’s different than you think. She’s different than you, than us. She can handle all of this, the mess that’s up here.” He pointed to his head, shaking from frustration and annoyance, and a flood of other emotions that were cursing through his body. 

“There are people out there who want to kill her, Dave. I think she seems lovely, but what if you’re out on the job, and you’re distracted when someone tries to shoot her and hits you instead? What do I tell Ella and Charlie when they ask why their daddy’s gone? And how do you expect _Julia_ to live with knowing that you died because you were too emotionally involved?” He looked shocked. Shocked at the anger and at the accusation she appeared to be hurling his way. Not that he hadn’t thought it himself lately, he was just shocked that it was visible to anyone else. He considered himself good at guarding his feelings.

“It’s my job to die for the principal. It’s my job to keep her safe no matter what.”

“In the worst case scenario. But I don’t want to look at our children in three years and know that their daddy could have been fine if only he wasn’t hiding some secret affair with the fucking Home Secretary. I don’t care how you do it, Dave. Quit your job, be with her, don’t be with her, that’s not up to me. Go be a goddamn detective or get a job in ASDA, I don’t care. But you have a responsibility to your children. And if you do love her, you owe her the best protection she could get. I don’t think that’s you right now. Do you?” Vicky stepped towards the door as all the things she’d just said ruminated in David’s head. She opened the door to the hallway and looked back at him. “The kids and I will order some pancakes for you, so come down when you’re ready, ok?”

He felt ambushed. His heart clenched in his chest, a swirl of emotions hit, but he knew deep down that Vicky had been right. She had made one good point after another, and he had felt his throat close up as he tried to convince her of what he knew was no longer true. Seeing Julia sitting in his bed with a present in her lap, and feeling only gratitude yet no discomfort at the idea, he’d known he was too deep in whatever this was.

He knew Julia had said she’d be in the shower, but he just needed to see her. Cleanse himself from the verbal assault from his ex-wife and take a break from whatever was happening inside his head. He opened the door to her room and called out her name softly as he walked in. He heard heavy breaths from behind him and turned to find Julia leaning against the wall. Her eyes closed, as warm tears streamed down slightly rosy cheeks, and he just wanted to wrap her in his arms. To purge the panic from her body the best he could. It seemed obvious she’d overheard the conversation on the other side of the door, though he felt unsure if the tears were because of him or Vicky’s mere presence earlier.

Seeing him in front of her was comforting, as she tried to process everything Vicky had just thrown at him. Her first instinct was to pull him close, so she grabbed his shirt and drew him towards her. His forearms rested against the wall behind her, his soft fingers gently wiping tears from her face. She grabbed his hand and laced her own fingers with his, clutching it to her chest.

“She’s right. Vic is. Yesterday was a shitty day for me, but I was a better PPO to that guy than I have been to you in a long time. My head was clear, all the details stuck, there was no back and forth. I just want you to be safe, even if it meant I’d never see you again. I’m too involved. I think I…” He looked frustrated, voice trailing off into nothingness. He kissed her forehead, gently pushing a stray hair away from her eyes as he pulled back to look at her. She looked… Adorable. And her eyes sparkled with what looked like a renewed sense of confidence. He smiled and cocked his head to the side as he waited for her to say something. “Julia?”

The words _I think I love you, too_ lingered in the air the way the smell of rain always did once it settled. His lips collided with hers, repeatedly going back for more, even when she giggled against him. He knew his kids were waiting downstairs, for pancakes and giddy conversations; he just needed a few more seconds to enjoy this. 

Maybe birthdays weren’t so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Explicit rating just to be safe, because I wasn't sure how dirty it would be considered. Hope you enjoyed it. I've barely written fanfiction in the last 10 years, and I'm crap at writing smut, but I loved writing for David and Julia. They're incredibly inspirational, I have to say.
> 
> I know it has Vicky in it, might be off-putting to some, but I wanted to use her to show David's feelings towards Julia in a different way. And I just really liked the idea of someone catching them, and this seemed somewhat plausible.
> 
>  
> 
> Re: The Gift
> 
> I tried to include what the gift was, but it just felt awkward when I tried it, so I took it out. Vicky wouldn’t wait in the bathroom forever and I thought the end was fine as it was.
> 
> My thought process was that she wanted to get him something, even though she wasn’t sure if that was the relationship yet. Buying anything is an ordeal in her situation, let alone buying a birthday present for her married PPO that she’s sleeping with very much on the DL. So she was online shopping, pulled a white lie at the office as her mail clearly gets checked (just by claiming she likes having different types, unisex or whatever, then she told the guy to fuck off cause she has more important things to do). I wanted her to get him something that was luxurious, something he’d never buy himself and something that felt like Julia. A bit of a secret statement, but also very much a gift I feel Julia would get him. So, it was a blue cashmere sweater. She got the idea when he told her that he likes the feel of them once (so soft) while they were cuddling, and she hoped it would remind him of her. 
> 
> Julia clearly loves herself a cashmere sweater (as do I), but in my head, it’s just not something David would spend money on. She also bought it with the hope that one day, when everything was sorted out, they might be lounging around at home in their matching cashmere. Because this was a few months into the relationship, and her feelings had only grown. Homegirl loves him.
> 
> So just picture them though, a few weeks or months after this fit is set, David’s snoozing on the couch, legs resting over her lap, providing a make-shift table for Julia to put her work papers on. David in blue cashmere because it matches his eyes, Julia in wine red. David wears his old, worn tracksuit bottoms (that he’s probably had for a decade) with it because he’s a man of two worlds now. His world slowly mixing with Julia’s. Julia’s sweater is a deep, wine red/burgundy because she knows she looks good in that. Her leggings/bottoms are also cashmere, cause she’s a soft legend with money dammit. And he’s all calm, because he’s getting help from the therapist friend and he feels at peace where he is. Then he sends her a sneaky text from literally two feet away, asking if she wants to fool around. Needless to say, the papers fall to the floor and David is definitely not calm anymore.


End file.
